Machine for placing washers on axles



8, 1956 E. c. SIMPSON 2,760,196

MACHINE FOR PLACING WASHERS ON AXLES Filed Feb. 3, 1 953 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

EQ/V/SST C. 5/MD50/V Aug. 28, 1956 E. c. SIMPSON 2,760,196

MACHINE FOR PLACING WASHERS ON AXLES Filed Feb. 5, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Aug. 28, 1956 E. c. SIMPSON 2,760,196

MACHINE FOR PLACING WASHERS ON AXLES Filed Feb. 3, 1955 4 Sheets-$heet 3 rvll? A E/V597 C. J/MPJO/V BY mkL w Aug. 28, 1956 E. c. SIMPSON MACHINE FOR PLACING WASHERS ON AXLES 4 Sheets-Sheet. 4

Filed Feb. 5, 1953 INVENTOR. EDA/57" C. j/MD50/V I Z, r: l 1/ United States Patent 2,760,196 MACHINE FOR PLACING WASHERS N AXLES Ernest C. Simpson, Venice, Calif.

Application February 3, 1953 Serial No. 334,855 1 Claim. 01. 1- -1s7 This invention relates generally to a machine for placing a plurality of washer-like disks on a plurality of axlelike rods. More particularly, this invention relates to a machine for automatically positioning and placing a plurality of horseshoe-shaped washers on a plurality of rods or axles either circumferentially grooved or smooth and then crimping or closing the open ends of the washers around the rods or axles in a washer-retaining manner.

A related invention of a machine for automatically feeding a plurality of horseshoe-shaped washers is contained in my copending patent application, Serial No. 334,854, filed concurrently herewith.

At the present time, the most advanced methods for placing a horseshoe-shaped washer on a rod or axle involve the use of hand-operated pliers-like tools. These tools are necessarily slow and often inaccurate, the speed and accuracy of their use depending primarily upon the skill and experience of the manual operator thereof. In the toy truck manufacturing industry, for example, an operator on the production line cannot adequately perform the manual operation at sufiicient speed (production-wise) without the finished products suffering from non-uniformity or other defects. The maximum operable rate is such that the cost of this operation is excessive. Therefore, it has long been desired to have an automatic machine for performing the operation, eliminating the manual operator and thus increasing the speed and accuracy of the operation, producing a uniform product, and reducing the cost per operation.

The difliculties encountered in developing a machine for automatically positioning a horseshoe-shaped Washer on an axle (usually a circumferentially grooved axle) are manifold. The axle and the washer must be in exactly the proper position at the same time so that the open end of the Washer will engage the axle prior to the crimping or closing action whereby the washer envelops the axle. The Washer must be situated with its open end facing the axle and in a plane at right angles to the axle so that when the washer is pushed onto the axle in the engaging zone, the washer will smoothly glideonto the axle without wobbling or striking the axle with an end point. The axle must be in a plane with the direction ofmovement of the washer and, when the axle is a grooved one so that the Washer is to fit around the groove, the groove must be positioned in a plane with the washer. In crimping or closing the washer around the axle or groove thereof, the washer should be fully engaged with the axle (or at least the open end of the washer should be past half of the axle or groove) before the closing or crimping action takes place to prevent the washers slipping off the axle or jamming.

- This invention provides a fast and accurate machine for positioning both the axle and the horseshoe-shaped washer in the proper positions for engaging the Washer on the axle and then performing the function of crimping orclosing the washer around the axle or a groove thereof in washer-retaining manner. A plurality of axles and washers can be fed into the machine in a continual stream 2,760,196 Patented Aug. 28, v1956 With the above points inmind, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for intermittently positioning a plurality of horseshoe-shaped washers on a plurality of axles or circumferential grooves thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for intermittently positioning a plurality of horse shoe-shaped washers in an engaging zone in a proper plane at right angles to the axles upon which the washers will be placed and with the open ends of the Washers facing the axles in the engaging zone.

It is another object of this invention to provide a means for intermittently positioning a plurality of axles or cir-.

cumferentially groovedaxles in an engaging zone so that a plurality of horseshoe-shaped washers may be placed thereon.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a means for intermittently crimping or closing a plurality of horseshoe-shaped washers on a plurality of axles in washer-retaining manner.

Other and allied object will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a careful perusal, examination, and study of the accompanying illustrations, the present specification and the appended claims.

This invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of practical embodiments of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view of one illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view supplementary to the view illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryview partly in vertical section and partly in elevation taken in the direction of the arrows IIIIII in Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows IV-IV in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation taken in the direction of the arrows V-V in Fig. 2.

Fig. '6 is a fragmentary view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation taken in the direction of the arrows VIVI in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view primarily in elevation (although one portion is in vertical section) taken in the direction of the arrows VIIVII in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows VIIIVIII in Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation similar in aspect to Fig. 5 but illustrating in detail the component parts adjacent to the engaging zone.

t Fig. 10 is a reduced size elevational view of one complete illustrative embodiment of the present invention (exclusive of a portion of the underlying base) in association with a washer feeding machine of the type more specifically described, illustrated and claimed in my co pending patent application, Serial No. 334,854, filed concurrently herewith.

Referring to the drawings, and as best seen in Fig. l, the drive motor 11, through a series of pulleys and pulley belts indicated generally at 12, continuously rotates the drive axle 13 resting on the bearings and their housings indicated generally at 14, thereby rotating the drive cam 15 and the pushing cam 16, which aresecured to the said drive axle 13. The drive cam 15 provides forcible rectilinear reciprocation of the gear-drive shaft 17, the

coil spring 18 maintaining the shaft terminating wheel 19 against the drive cam 15. The said' gear-drive shaft 17 is slidably guided in its rectilinear reciprocation by the supporting members 20, 20 which are secured to the immovable frame 21. As best seen in Fig. 2, one-end of an extensive member 22 is rotatably mounted on said shaft 17 at 23', theother rounded end' of saidmember 22 being rotatablfy engaged with the gear-rotating pawl 24' whereby the rectilinear reciprocation of the gear-drive shaft ,17 is translated into rotating reciprocation of the gear-rotating pawl 24, said pawl 24 forcibly rotating the ratchet 25 ina clockwise direction (as seen in Fig. 3). The return movement, in counterclockwise direction, of the pawl 24 during the next oppositely directed rectilinear reciprocation of the gear drive shaft ,17 being. allowed by temporary disengagement of the pawl 24 from ratchet 25 produced as a result of the angular tooth structure of cooperating portions of the ratchet 25 and pawl 24 (as best seen in Fig. 2) which causes the pawl 24 to bem oved very slightly along the shaft 26 against the action of the biasing spring shown in Fig. 2. The relatively loose fit of the shaft 17 in the bearings 20' and the loose pivotal coupling of said shaft 17 with respect to the pawl 24 are such as to allow the very slight longitudinal movement of the pawl 24 just described. It should be understood that the next actuation of the shaft 17 which rotates the ,pawl 24 in clockwise direction again, will immediately reengage the pawl 24 and ratchet 25 under the action of the biasing spring. Said ratchet 25 is secured to the gear-rotating shaft 26 which is fixedly provided with a circular member 27 rotatable with respect to the immovable member 28, the latter two members being provided with a radially offset, separating ball bearing 29 and a plurality of similar radially offset, circumferentially spaced and alignable notches, of which'one is 30, 30, the degree of rotation of said ratchet 25 in said clockwise direction being more exactly fixed by the sequential insertion of the bearing 29 of the immovable member 28 into the notch 30of the rotatable member 27, as seen in Figure 4.

As best shown in Figs. 5 and 10, the axle feeding hopper, indicated generally at 31, drops an axle 32 through a chute 33 into a notch 34 of the intermittently rotating axle carrying and positioning gear 35. As the said axle carrying and positioninggear 35 rotates the axle toward the engaging zone, indicated generally at 36, the axle is longitudinally positioned by a slanted rigid extension 37 pressed against the said axle carrying and positioning gear 35. During the same rotating period, the axle 32 rests upon the curved support 38 (best seen in Fig. 2) and is thereby guided slightly outward from the said axle carrying and supporting gear'35 so that the axle, now indicated at 39, is slightly away from the said gear 35 in the engaging zone 36, permitting the reception of a washer 40. Said curved support'38 is pushed back and :out of the engaging zone during the washer closing operation. The groove guiding blade 41 is inserted into the axle groove 42 during the same rotating period and maintains the axle groove 42 in the plane of the washer prior to the entrance of the washer into the engaging zone 36. Said groove guiding blade 41 is pivoted at 43 and provided with a spring 44, and is also slanted at 45 so that the rectilinearly reciprocated member 46, which is rectilinearly reciprocated .by the drive cam 16, positions the said groove guiding blade 41 out of the engaging zone when the washer 40 enters the engaging zone 36.

As best seen injFigs. 1 and 6, the said pushing cam 16 is secured to the said drive axle 13 in angular relation to the said drive .camlS sozthat its efiective operation is during the period when thesaid drive 'cam-15isin non+operative rotation, thereby performing itscpushing function when the said axle-carrying andpositioning gear35 is-not-rotating. The saidpushing cam 16 provides forcible rectilinear ,rec'iprocation ,of'the slidable pushing strip '47 :whichjs curved at the washer (contacting. :end 48 -:so :that said. end fits the curvatureofthe washer butt; said-washer butt beings-the connecting portion of a generally U-shaped (or horseshoe shaped) washer opposite the open end thereof.

It should be noted that the slidable pushing strip 47 is slidably mounted for rectilinear reciprocation in an upstanding member 59 which in turn is provided with a base member 60 which is slidably reciprocably positioned with respect to two laterally spaced retaining channel members 61. It should also be-noted that the base member 60 is provided with adownwardly directed hook 62 which extends through a slot (not shown) in the underlying supporting plate 6.3 and-:whichengages one end of a spring 64, the opposite end which engages a second hook 65 fixedly carried by the underside of the supporting plate 63. The arrangement is such as to facilitate movement of theupstanding member 59 and the base member 60 into the position shown in Figs. 5 and 9 to support the slidable pushing strip 47 during the final phases of the washer closing operation shown in said figures.

Thehorseshoe-shaped washers are supplied by a washer feeding machine, specifically described, illustrated and claimed in my copending patent application, Serial No. 334,854, 'filed concurrently herewith. Said washer feeding machine is indicated generally at 58 in Fig. 10, and is adapted to feed washers into washer butt engaging position by means of a washer carrying rod 49 and an intermittently operable pushing finger 50 correlated with respect to the main drive. The washer butt engaging position just mentioned being the position a washer will assume when fedinto the washer receiving recess 52 with the open end of each washer pointed toward the engaging zone 36- and theaxle 39. Said carrying rod 49 (best seen in Figs. 2 and 5) is positioned against a curved washerend positioning bar 51 so that the washers are fed into the washer receiving recess 52 with the open end of each washer pointed toward the engaging zone 36 and thus the axle 39. A washer positioning finger 53 (best seen in Figs. 2 and 8) is located with its end 54 pressed against the end of the washer carrying rod 49 and the end of the washer-end positioning bar 51, both the said rod-49 and the said bar 51 being preferably slantedly 'gouged out at the point of contact with thesaid washer positioning finger end 54 permitting said finger end 54 to press against and into the open end of the washer and thus maintain said washer end in the proper position for engaging the axle 39, namely, pointed toward the axle 39. Said positioning finger '53 is provided with a pivot point 55 and a spring 56 so that said finger 53 is permitted to pivot out of the Way of the washer when the washer is pushed into the engaging zone 36' and yet will maintain its position against and in the open end of the washer immediately prior to the reception of the washer by the axle 39.

The general operation of this machine may be described as follows:

An axle is dropped from the chute 33 onto the axle carrying and positioning gear 35 and is then spatially rotated degrees into the engaging zone 36 where the axle is ready to receive the washer, having been guided by the positioning members '37, 38 and 41. The washer, having entered the washer receiving recess from the washer carrying rod 49, is engaged at its butt end by the end of the slidable pushing strip 47 and pushed toward the axle by the said pushing strip 47. The washer open end is maintained in its position pointed at the axle 39 by the washer positioning finger end 54. As the washer is pushed toward the axle 39, the said groove guiding blade 41-moves up out of the engaging zone 36. As the washer is pushed onto the axle 39 in the engaging zone 36 by forcible rectilinear reciprocation of the slidable pushing strip 47, the said curved support 38 under the action of springbiasing means effectively fastened thereto and indicated generally at 57 in Figs. 2 and 5, provides the slight reactive force :to keep the axle out of the axle carrying and positioning gear 35 until thewasherhas fully engaged theaxle groove 42. During the washer closing operation, the ;said slidable ipushing strip 47 .continues to push the washennow :engaged'with :the axle, until the open end of the washer contacts the axle carrying and positioning gear 35 and is partially or completely closed around the axle groove in washer-retaining manner. The slidable pushing strip 47 then returns to its initial position under the action of the resilient opposing force and the rotation of cam 16, the axle carrying and positioning gear is rotated another 90 degrees thus discharging the finished axle under the action of the force of gravity, and the entire operation begins anew.

While I have specifically described one version of my invention, there are several modifications that will be obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, although the drawings show and I have detailed the use of a circumferentially grooved axle, my invention is also applicable for crimping a washer around a non-grooved axle. The groove guiding blade 41 would be eliminated and the slanted rigid extension 37 might be extended farther to provide longitudinal positioning all the way to the engaging zone 36.

As another modification, the curved support 38 could be eliminated entirely and the notches of the axle carrying and positioning gear 35 could be circumferentially gouged in their centers, the thickness of the gouge being slightly wider than the washer, and the depth of the gouge decreasing toward the portion facing the open end of the washer so that the washer would engage the axle as it entered the notch and would be closed as it proceeded farther into the notch. The curved support 38 could also be eliminated and its function performed by having the proper curvature of the notch so that the washer would be around the groove before the ends of the washer touched the notch itself.

Other devices, entitled to the application of the doctrine of equivalents, will also be obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, my invention can be used to position two members relative to each other and then either envelop one with the other or insert one into the other, followed by closing or crimping action.

The example described and illustrated herein is exemplary only and is not intended to limit the scope of this invention but is set forth only as one illustrative example of the invention. The scope of this invention is to be limited only by the appended claim.

I claim:

Apparatus for positioning a plurality of washers of generally horseshoe form on a corresponding plurality of axles and crimping the open end of each of the washers around the corresponding axle in washer retaining relationship, comprising: guide means; slide means slidably mounted with respect to said guide means and having washer butt engaging means; washer receiving recess means cooperating with said guide means and cooperable to receive, support and guide a washer carried by said slide means toward an engaging zone; axle carrying and positioning means including inclined die means to position an axle in said engaging zone and to receive and clamp the open end of a washer on an axle positioned in said positioning means and effectively non-removably clamped thereon; means for intermittently reciprocating said slide means toward and away from said engaging zone; washer orienting means including a resilient finger extending into said washer receiving recess to position a washer with its open end in alignment with the direction of reciprocation of said slide means during the Washer engaging and closing operation; intermittent washer feeding means for laterally feeding washers to said washer receiving recess and having positioning means cooperable with the open ends of a plurality of washers to align them with the open ends directed toward the engaging zone and the butt ends directed toward said washer butt engaging means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,963,306 Maynard June 19, 1934 2,172,847 Nydegger Sept. 12, 1939 2,192,229 Johnson Mar. 5, 1940 2,255,127 Newig Sept. 9, 1941 2,574,811 Blumensaadt Nov. 13, 1951 2,647,814 Chilton Aug. 4, 1953 

